An easy place to find valuation numbers on stocks is right at Yahoo Finance.  If we review the "Key Statistics" on Chase (CCF) from Yahoo, we can see that first of all this is a very small capitalization stock with a market cap of $157.95 million.  The most common ratio used by value investors is traditionally the p/e ratio.  In this particular case, Chase is what I would call 'dirt cheap' with a p/e of 13.92.  The forward p/e (based on estimated earnings for the fye 31-Aug-09) is even better at 11.88.  Since there aren't any analysts willing to estimate 5-yr results, we don't have a PEG with is the ratio comparing the p/e to the 5-yr growth rate anticipated.   

I have been looking at a few other 'value' numbers, including the Price/Sales ratio.  Back in 2005 Paul Sturm, from Smart Money wrote a great article on the utility of the Price/Sales ratio in comparing one company to another.  A great article, I refer to it often on this blog.

Like so many other numbers, this one is relatively useless in isolation.  That is, the value of this ratio is in its relation to other companies in the same industry.  That is the relative valuation of a stock can be evaluated by comparing 'apples to apples'.  Thus, checking the Fidelity.com eresearch website, we can see that Chase (CCF) has a Price/Sales ratio (TTM) of 1.13, compared  to the industry average value of 7.49.

In terms of profitability, examining the Return on Equity (TTM), we find that Chase comes up a bit 'light' with a ROE (TTM) of 20.84% compared to the industry average of 31.29%.  So in this particular number, we find a little less of an impressive result.

Returning to Yahoo, there are 8.31 million shares outstanding (a small company!) with 5.96 million that float.  That being said, there is a significant number of shares out short, which for me means a current ratio greater than 3 days.   Yahoo reports 75,080 shares out short as of 4/25/08, representing 4.5 trading days of volume. 

Regarding the dividend, the company pays a forward annual dividend of $.25/share yielding 1.3%.  The last stock split was a 2:1 split back on June 28, 2007. 

Insofar as a chart, I am not much of a technical analyst. I don't talk much about moving averages.  But with point and figure charting, I do take a look at 'support' and 'resistance' lines. 

If we review the 'point & figure' chart on Chase (CCF) from StockCharts.com, we can see that the stock has indeed shown some weakness dipping from $29 in January, 2008, to a low of $16.50 in March, 2008.  Since that time it has been 'fighting-back' so-to-speak, but frankly, I would like to see this stock get above $24 before starting to call the 'all clear'.  

In summary, I still like Chase (CCF).  I am not prepared to buy any shares but shall keep it on my own 'watch list' which isn't really a list at all, but the accumulated names of stocks I write about here on this blog :).

I hope that my rambling once again helped explain what I believe makes a good stock good and what might be helpful to look for.  Of course, this is only my 'amateur' perspective, but I think it all makes sense.  At least to me!